Speaking of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations, let's first look at the beginning and end of the last Russian-Ukrainian negotiations, which took place in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
The Crimean Peninsula is located on the northern shore of the Black Sea and covers an area of about 27,000 square kilometers, including two regions, the Republic of Crimea is about 26,100 square kilometers, and it is located about 864 square kilometers in Sevastopol in the southwest of the peninsula. In 2014, Crimea and Sevastopol held referendums announcing their secession from Ukraine and membership in Russia.
In the same year, war broke out in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine, known as the Donbass War. Donetsk Oblast is 26,500 km², and Luhansk Oblast has an area of about 26,700 km². The war was at a stalemate, with one separatist force in each of the two regions, with the Donetsk People's Republic covering an area of about 7,853 square kilometers and the Luhansk People's Republic about 8,377 square kilometers.
Although few countries in the world recognize Crimea as belonging to Russia, and few recognize the two newly independent countries of Wudong, the parties still maintain the principle of valuing peace.
In 2014 and 2015, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, France and Germany signed the Minsk Agreement twice in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, and also invited the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic to participate.
In the three years before the signing of the agreement, more than 9,000 people died in the war, and one year after the signing of the agreement, the two sides only died more than 200 due to the war, and the Minsk agreement was a peace agreement.
This time the War between Russia and Ukraine, Russia had hoped to negotiate in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, as in the previous two Minsk agreements, and everyone was East Slavs, which was also an internal contradiction. Ukraine is afraid, the last two Minsk agreements, Germany and France in the back of the back, this time Russia and Ukraine direct talks, fear is understandable. So Ukraine proposed that the negotiating venue be changed to NATO's Poland or Hungary, so that it can be at ease.
The final place of negotiations was still in Belarus, but not in the capital Minsk, but in Gomel, indicating concessions made by both sides. First of all Ukraine did not insist on holding out in Poland or Hungary, concessions seemed to be greater, Russia also gave face, did not insist on minsk.
Photo - Aerial photo of Minsk
Located in southeastern Belarus, Gomel is the second largest city in Belarus, with a distance of about 40 kilometers from Russia and Ukraine. Gomel is 302 km from Minsk, 567 km from Moscow and 222 km from Kiev.
Photo - Aerial photo of Gomel
The two sides have now begun negotiations, and Russia has put forward the condition that Ukraine recognize Crimea as belonging to Russia, recognize the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, and never join NATO and de-militarize. Ukraine's condition was that Russia immediately cease fire and withdraw from all Ukrainian territories, including Crimea.
The conditions put forward by both sides are obviously unacceptable to the other side, and both sides also have some holdings and have a backhand.
Ukraine mainly hopes that NATO will give Russia various sanctions, and then Russia's internal instability and various variables will appear. Although NATO countries have made it clear that they will not send troops, some countries have expressed support for mercenaries to fight in Ukraine, although the actual role is minimal, because mercenaries are paid well, loyalty is almost non-existent, but this move is an encouragement to Ukrainians.
Russia's backhand has four moves, one is that the Russian steel torrent did not exert force, retaining most of the strength, from the Ukrainian Kiev people have been able to send videos on the Internet can be seen, the Russian army strike range is quite restrained. Second, the Russian army drove Ukrainian refugees into the EU countries in the west from the northeast and the south, which made Europe uncomfortable for a long time, and in turn forced Ukraine to submit. Once Ukraine loses a large number of people, what resistance will it take? The third is the Belarus card, NATO countries are reluctant to go to Ukraine as cannon fodder, but Belarus is willing to serve Russia, they have 65,000 troops. The fourth is nuclear weapons, on the strike power of nuclear weapons, Russia is comparable to the United States, on the ability to resist beatings, Russia's sparsely populated ability to resist blows ranks first in the world. Russia will not theoretically use nuclear weapons, but the use of nuclear weapons to deter opponents is always there.
Finally, I hope that Russia and Ukraine will conclude negotiations as soon as possible, avoid further exchanges of fire, and wish for world peace.